Jaguars (Panthera onca) are the largest species of wild cat in the Americas. These powerful cats have long been a symbol of power in the traditional cultures of Central and South America

Jaguars are considered the equivalent of leopards in the New World, and are the largest species of cats in the Western Hemisphere. They are distributed throughout most of Mexico, Central and South America, while lone individuals are rarely seen in the southwestern United States. Like most cats, they are solitary animals and require large amounts of territory to survive. These cats are in jeopardy due to the continued shrinking of their habitat for agriculture and logging, and they are still illegally poached for their remarkable fur.

In the wild, jaguars have a varied diet, including deer, peccaries, monkeys, tapirs, birds, reptiles, small rodents and domestic stock if readily available, and amphibians, fish. These latter two are often hunted near or in water and jaguars are one of the few cats who don’t mind getting wet in search of their next meal.

Here at Woodland Park Zoo, this behavior was taken into account when creating and designing the Jaguar Cove exhibit which opened in 2003. A large pool, complete with a waterfall, is part of the lushly planted exhibit and features a cross-section for underwater viewing. On warm days, our male jaguar will sometimes take a dip in the pool to fetch out treats to feast upon.

In the video featured below, "Junior" the jaguar takes the plunge. Note: this video is formatted for broadband internet connection and may take some time to load and begin playing. Click here to watch - "Junior takes the plunge."

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Photo and video by Ryan Hawk